The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Colocasia commonly known as the taro plant or elephant ears. Colocasia is grown as a food crop or for use as an ornamental for container or the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Colocasia esculenta and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘WHITE LAVA’.
Colocasia is a tuberous rooted perennial which is native to tropical Asia and Polynesia. It grows to 1.5-2 m in height from starchy tubers. The leaves of Colocasia are heart-shaped and very large in size. The tuberous roots are cooked and eaten as a starchy staple in many tropical areas. It is also grown as ornamental plants for the landscape in warmer climates or as a container plant in colder areas.
The new Colocasia variety named ‘WHITE LAVA’ is the product of a formal breeding program carried out in a cultivated area in Kula, Hi. The purpose of the breeding program is to develop new commercial varieties by combining attributes not found in currently commercially available varieties.
‘WHITE LAVA’ is a seedling selection from the controlled pollination between the female parent breeding line ‘2007A-4’ (unpatented) and male parent breeding line ‘2007A-51’ (unpatented). Initially designated as ‘2008-66’, ‘WHITE LAVA’ was derived as a single plant selected in 2008.
The new variety ‘WHITE LAVA’ exhibits medium glossy green leaves with flamboyant white markings and veins and slightly undulating leaf margins. ‘WHITE LAVA’ produces glossy red colored petioles.
‘WHITE LAVA’ may be compared to its parents as follows: The leaves are ⅓ to ½ times larger than its male parent and 2 to 3 times larger than its female parent. The male parent, ‘2007A-51’, exhibits chartreuse colored leaves with a glossy finish with white markings and veins, a smooth margin, and light purple venation. The petioles are green in color with a matte finish. The female parent, ‘2007A-4’ exhibits glossy green leaves with white markings and a purple spot on the upper leaf surface at the point of leaf and petiole attachment and an undulating margin. The petioles are a red burgundy color. In these aspects, this new variety differs from its parents.
The closest comparison variety in commerce known to the inventor is ‘Nancy's Revenge’ (unpatented). WHITE LAVA may be compared with ‘Nancy's Revenge’ as follows: Whereas ‘WHITE LAVA’ produces semi-glossy medium glossy green leaves with bold white markings and veins, the leaves of ‘Nancy's Revenge’ exhibit mainly central markings that do not extend to the veins. Whereas ‘WHITE LAVA’ produces glossy red petioles ‘Nancy's Revenge’ has green petioles.
The most commonly employed means of asexual propagation of the genus Colocasia is the excision and replanting of a shoot which consists of the apical 1 cm to 2 cm portion of the plant corm with the attached basal 15 cm to 20 cm portion of the petiole. In regions of the world where Colocasia is grown, this plant shoot is known as a “huli”, and the means of propagation is known as “huli propagation”. Asexual propagation by “huli propagation” of ‘WHITE LAVA’ began in 2008 in Paia, Hi. by the inventor. Evaluation in field and pot studies have shown the unique features of ‘WHITE LAVA’ to be stable, uniform, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.